Thank You Ma'am
by MusiKiss1
Summary: For those of you that have read Thank You M'am by: Langston Hughes, well i re did it... what happens when a boy tries to snatch Kagomes bag one night home?


Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Inuyasha characters, Beranabus from the Demonata series(even though i did make up what he looked like) or the original story: Thank You M'am

Yes, i did redo the short story Thank You M'am and turn it into a Kagome fic... and it may be a little boring, but for some reason, i like it... this is my first real fan fic so i hope it doesn't totally suck but whatever...

**Thank You Ma'am**

Beautiful eyes sparkled as the 21 year old walked down the sidewalk with a slight hop in her step. The day had been good to her so far, without any fights at the pub, the young substitute bouncer retired from her short shift she filled in for a friend, and left in a light mood with her head held high.

She was a small woman at about 5ft, 2" with long, silky, black hair braided down her back, a smile to win everyone over and weighing in at about 120 pounds. But despite her size, she had one hell of a temper, and was not somebody to be messed with.

Hiking up her large yellow backpack on her shoulder that had about everything in it but hammer and nails, she turned the corner down a dimly lit street. It was about eleven o'clock at night, and she was alone on her way to her massive home, bubble bath, food, and probably fussing husband awaited at the edge of town, when a boy about the size of her brother ran up behind her and tried to snatch her pack. The fat yellow strap broke with the single tug the boy gave it from behind, but the boy's weight and the weight if the bag combined caused him to lose his balance so, instead of taking off full blast as he had hoped, the boy fell on his back on the sidewalk, and his legs flew up.

Alarmed from the grab, the woman pivoted on her feet and backed up ready for any violent action to come at her; but upon looking at the theft she stood stock still and stared at the boy… until he tried to get up. Then she swiftly walked up to him and kicked him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him, leaving him heaving and coughing in the fatal position. Bending down she seized him up by the color if his raggedy T-shirt and shook him until his teeth rattled.

"Pick up my back-pack, and give it here," she growled out; her voice firm with authority. She still held him but she bent down enough to permit him to stoop and pick up her pack. Then she muttered, "Now aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

Firmly gripped by his shirts front, he managed to get his breath back and squeaked out a "Yes'm."

"Tell me why, what did you do it for?"

"I didn't aim to-"

"You're lying!" she shouted. By that time five or six people passed, stopped, turned to look, or some stood watching. Sighing to try to calm her nerves and not loose her anger on this… this child! I mean come on, Fuck, what is he like ten?! Pinching the bridge of her nose with her free hand, she whispered, "If I turn you loose, will you run?"

"Yes'm" he croaked out.

"Then I will not turn you loose," she stated matter-of-factly, getting her composure back.

"I'm very sorry, lady, I'm sorry," whispered the boy.

Hearing the fright in the young boy's voice her eyes softened towards him, making her feel sympathetic; damn her soft spot for kids…

"Ma'am?" snapping back she realized shed been silent for a while. "Please just-"

"Um-hum! And you face is dirty. I have a great mind to wash your face for you. Don't you have anybody at home to tell you to clean your self up?"

"No, ma'am…"

"Then you will get washed this evening," said the woman starting up the street, dragging the frightened boy behind her. Glancing back once more under the street light she took in his features clearly. Looking a bit older than she first thought, maybe fourteen or fifteen, he was frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and scrappy blue jeans. Choppy brown bed-head hair, and pale green eyes, and despite his dirty appearance, something in the air was different about him… he was a half-demon. Understanding dawned on her and she found him adorable. "You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry too?"

"No ma'am," said the being-dragged boy. "I just want you to turn me loose"

"Was I bothering _you _when I turned that corner?" asked the woman.

"No, ma'am"

"But you put yourself in contact with _me_," said the woman. "If you think that that contact is not going to last a while, you got another thing coming. When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Kagome Lee Takahashi."

Sweat poured out of the boy's pores and he began to struggle. Kagome stopped, jerked him around in front of her, put a half nelson about his neck and continued to drag him up the street.

-X:X~X:X-

When Kagome got to her front door she dragged the boy inside, down the beige painted halls and into a large living room at the rear of the house. She switched on the light and left the door open. The whole place was warm and smelled of chocolate-chip cookies, making his mouth water fear momentarily forgotten, and it was cozy. Decorations and pictures aligned the walls everywhere. There was a big leather couch and chair in the center of the room facing a plasma 58" flat screen TV on the wall above the fire place. Lots of plants and paintings adored the room, as well as sliding glass doors to the left with a balcony over looking a lake, and a gentle song playing on low on the HD radio.

The boy could hear other roomers laughing and talking in the large house. Some of their doors were open, too, so he knew he and the woman were not alone. However, Kagome still had him by the neck in the middle of the room.

"What is your name?" Kagome questioned.

Startled by her sudden question, "Beranabus," he answered almost instantly.

"Well then Master Bran, you go to that sink and wash your face," Kagome said sternly pointing to the kitchen direction; whereupon she let him loose-at last. Bran looked at the door-the woman- and the door again and hesitantly went to the sink.

"Let the water run until it gets warm," she said softly leaning against the door frame of the kitchen. "Here's a clean towel."

"You gonna take me to jail?" asked the boy, bending over the sink.

"Not with that face… I wouldn't take you anywhere." She said. "Here I am, on my way home from an uneventful job, ready for a relaxing evening, and you grab my back-pack! Maybe you hadn't had supper either I take it? From the way your stomach has been growling as late as it is… you haven't eaten have you?" she finished off softly.

"There's nobody at my house," bran said. "And I don't know how to cook."

"Then we'll eat," Kagome said putting her hands into her jean pockets. "I believe you haven't eaten in a while… I'd also like to believe that's the reason for trying to steel from me?"

"I wanted a pair of suede shoes," Bran said quietly.

"Well you didn't have to try to steal someone's money to get some suede shoes," laughed Kagome. "You could have just asked me."

"Ma'am?" Bran choked out. The water dripped from his face as he stared at her in astonishment. There was a long be withered pause. A very long pause. Breaking eye contact, Beranabus dried his face and not knowing what else to do, dried it again and turned around, wondering what's next. The door was open. He could make a mad dash for it down the hall. He could run, run, run, run, _run! _Until he saw _him. _

Standing in the middle of the hall to his exit there was one of the scariest men he has ever seen. He was very tall, at least 6, 2" with claws on each finger, a red T-shirt, long silver hair and with puppy ears on top of his head… he was a half- demon, just like himself. Twin pools of honey glared at him through silver bangs, as if daring him to try and escape. Getting uncomfortable from the seizing up scowl he turned again and noticed Kagome happily bouncing forward to this puppy eared man,

Turning his heated gaze from the boy to his wife he growled. "Kagome Lee Takahashi. Just what the hell took you so long?" He said grabbing said girls face and passionately kissing her.

"Sorry love, I had a hold up."

"Oh yah? One of those fuckers touch you at the pub?" he asked sniffing the junction of her neck.

"No something else came up…" she finished lowly and began explaining.

Turning away from the whispering couple, Bran twiddled his thumbs. After a few minutes and a couple angry outbursts from the half demon across the room he turned back, the man was gone and Kagome came back from the hall and sat on the edge of the chair. "That was my husband, Inuyasha, but don't worry, he was just checking things out," she giggled. "You won't see him, I sent him away to be with our friends upstairs."

"Oh." Bran said uncertainly -another pregnant pause followed after.

"I was young once and I wanted things I could not get," Kagome said after a few minutes. Then there was another long pause. The boy's mouth opened then he frowned. "Um-hum! You thought I was going to say _but_ didn't you? You thought I was going to say _but I didn't go around stealing peoples belongings_. Well I wasn't going to say that." Another pause. Silence. "I have done things, too, which I will not tell you, son- not even my husband, if he didn't already know. So you sit down while I fix us something to eat. The others have already had take-out so it will only be us. You also might want to run that comb through your hair so you look presentable, even if we are alone."

In the back corner of the room was a door leading to the kitchen. Kagome got up and went into it, through the swinging door and continuing on to the appliances around the corner. She did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her bag and money sitting idly in the chair she just accompanied. But Beranabus took care to sit on the far side of the room in the center of the couch where he thought she could easily see him through a window in the wall over the stove that gave her a perfect view of the living room while cooking. He did not trust this woman not to trust him. And he did not want to be mistrusted now.

"Do you need somebody to go to the store," asked bran, "maybe to get some milk or something?"

"Don't believe I do, besides the time, the stores a good distance away from here." Kagome looked up, "Unless you want some milk yourself. I was just gonna make some milkshakes after dinner, any flavor."

"That will be fine," Bran said.

Kagome made some spaghetti adored with meat balls, garlic bread, and Ragou sauce, with a side salad, made our milkshakes as attended and set the table. Bran never seen anything like it, it looked great!

Kagome did not ask Bran where he lived, or of his family, or of any subject matter that would embarrass him. Instead, as they ate, she told him about her job in a hotel beauty shop, but recently filling in for her friend Sango's shift at the pub being a bouncer and having to break up fights. How pissed Inuyasha was when he heard about her doing something so dangerous, and what it's like being mated at such a young age. Then she pulled out some cheese cake!

"Have some more, son," she said.

When they were finished eating Kagome got up, pulled something out of her back pocket and murmured in a gentle, loving voice, " Now, here, take this 40 dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes and something extra. Take it because moneys not a problem around here, and next time, do not make the mistake of trying to take my bag nor anyone else's. I have to get my rest now, but I do pray you behave yourself Bran, from here on out."

She led him down the hall to the big oak door and opened it. "Goodnight! Behave yourself, Bran!" she shouted looking upon him with tender eyes.

The boy wanted to say something other than "Thank you ma'am" to Kagome, but he couldn't do so as he turned at the barren stoop and looked back at the young woman now accompanied with the golden eyed man in the door. He barely managed to say "Thank you," before she winked at him and shut the door; expecting to never see her again.

~Fin~


End file.
